Episode 44

Salem

I am with Akka and Paula in the first entrance to the house of Cads, we go in to discover that we are surrounded which means that they knew that we were coming, in other words, there's a spy among the people I trust. I think of Erin who is outside with our getawat cart and I know that there is no way I am losing anyone.

Ayo comes out from the assassins pointing their arrows and swords at us, she smirks and grins gleefully.

"I have to say, I thought it'd be more difficult capturing you but there you are, the most feared general in my abode, overmatched and wow... I will admit that I am a fan of your work probably why I am so excited to have you." She mock salutes me.

I stay silent and stare at her.

"I know it is you, Salem. Keep up and if you can't, It'd give me great pleasure to explain things to you. You have been betrayed, I am one step ahead of you." She gives a satisfactory smile.

I squat as if in surrender, Akka and Paula wear an additional mask at my signal... I unmask myself and sigh.

"You have me, who is it?" I ask.

"You don't want to know, trust me." Ayo replies.

"You are right, what about my men? Are they safe?" I ask.

"It depends, on if you are a good girl. I just want to ask a few questions and that's it."

She signs with her finger to emphasize on the word few.

I sigh as I wear my mask, she looks at me suspiciously.

"Whatever you are trying to do, don't.... It might make me angry and you don't want to do that." Ayo warns.

"Why? Are you scared?" I goad her.

"I have you exactly where I want you. There is no way you are leaving here the winner." She scoffs.

"You know what they say about overconfidence?" I ask.

"No, I don't. What?" She asks me.

"I don't know either but I do know that pride goes before a fall." I reply and she frowns her face in confusion and I release the cannister in my pocket while Paula throws her knife at the cannister and it explodes, I dodge and meet up with Akka and Paula as they shoot at us blindly.

"Are you okay?" Paula asks.

"I'm good, how long before the poison takes effect?" I ask.

"Not long, I have to say... Ladda really knows his poison." Akka replies as shortly after there is silence in the entrance.

We go in to see most of the men down with Ayo struggling and staggering.

"W..w...what d..Di..?" Ayo tries to tackle me.

I hold her and help her to the ground, "shhhhhh.... Just relax, don't worry.. it's only to make you sleep for a while."

"Should we kill them?" Akka asks me but before I can answer Paula is already slitting their throats.

"Nevermind..." He joins her in killing the sleeping men.

I groan " Don't kill Ayo, she's still royalty." I bend and give her a nick on her throat so she knows I made her live.

We go to check on the other men, we are greeted with an intense ongoing fight between the Cads and my men. Akka and Paula joins in the fight. I look to see that we are on the losing side, I see that Emer is injured and

Enek is holding him up, I run to assist them. I whistle to signal that we need to regroup, they fight their way to me. Ladda understands what I want him to do, he releases three cannisters under his belt and immediately my men wear their mask except for Roark. I watch him go down with the other men and I hiss.

"Why does Roark not have a mask?" I ask Enek.

"He forgot it, he got drunk last night." He replies and shrugs.

The men go down shortly after and the others kill them, Shem kills those struggling with the poison, I hear noise from the outside, Paula checks on it and screams.

"They have more men, the house of Ini has deployed more of their men." She tells me.

"Akka and Shem, Blow that rock and block the entrance." I say to them.

"Then we will be locked in" Ladda replies.

"I need more time to think, so do as I say" I order.

They succeed in blocking the entrance, soon it's just me and my men.

"What are we going to do?" Emek asks.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" Shem sighs.

"There was no way they would have known about this arrangement unless someone betrayed us. It's impossible, we have been through blood and honey, no one in this room is capable of betrayal." Akka takes a drink out of his alcohol.

"Guys! Remember Tamorrah?" I say and they all look at me and there is a resigned look from them.

"Fuck!!! It is going to be a long night." Akka drinks again.